What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Instead of a drill a punch for rivet holes

ron sterba

Well Known Member
Ok wish I would have run across this retired fella 7 years ago. I was in his shop when he showed me this what looks to be a hand rivet squeezer but its a punch for 3/32" and 1/8" rivet holes in aircraft aluminum. He indicated that the holes are perfect except a little itty bit of ridge on the back side. He used it on many pieces without the oblong holes a drill leaves. I watched him punch a couple holes. Perfect.! I forgot to ask how much material it would go through. After all it does exist. If Vans could prepunch their QB kits, we should be able too! Or does this fall under the 51% rule.

So who's selling us drills when we could be using a metal punch?
Has anybody else seen this feat in hole making? Where can this be purchased?

THIS COULD BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO HIT OUR MARKET.

SO DIG OUT DADS OR GRAMPAS SECRETS.

RON IN OREGON RV9A flying
 
Look anything like these...
-
2re4cjs.png
 
I would think you would lose some hole location accuracy unless you predrill a hole. Also I think it could be only used for a very limited number of holes.

Get me a hand held laser drill similar size to a pneumatic drill and I am all in with my retirement savings.
 
I've got a Roper Whitney No. 5 Junior punch which does what you're describing. It makes fractional holes (not number size holes, although those punch dies are available as extra-cost options) from 3/32" to 9/32". It's very handy for some things and can punch up to .063 aluminum, I believe.

Its main limitation is the throat depth and it's next limitation is the somewhat large diameter boss on the working end for the punch dies. The size of that prevents very close work.

I don't particularly like the edge-distance stop and have permanently removed that. With it gone, I can't use this to make a line of holes equally-spaced to the edge.

The overall quality looks lower than it is, except for the punches, which are excellent, and the design is probably left over from the '40s. To put it bluntly, it's a bit crude. But it works well, it's solid and reliable in spite of that.

Since the holes are punched, which means sheared, they MUST be drilled or reamed out. However, the 3/32" and 1/8" sizes just happen to be slightly smaller than the common #40 and #30 reamers that we can use. So reaming is reasonably convenient and leaves a round burr-free hole that is quickly made.

A few times, I've countersunk thick material a bit too far and when I put the rivet in the hole, the head was under-flush. I've found that punching a 3/16" hole in some scrap .032 or .040 and then laying the punch-out on the rivet, lets me set the rivet perfectly. Remove the punch-out, of course, afterwards.

If you're having trouble getting round drilled holes, get some quality bits from one of the better tool companies and a high-speed air drill. Speed is your friend.

Dave
 
With all the pre punched kits I can't think of anyplace that requires hole drilling
in large numbers.
Not only the fact that very few new holes have to be drilled on Vans kits but
the ones that do need to be drilled usually are match drilled to another piece
and that makes a punch useless.

The overall quality looks lower than it is, except for the punches, which are excellent, and the design is probably left over from the '40s. To put it bluntly, it's a bit crude. But it works well, it's solid and reliable in spite of that.

Good quality drill bits and an equally high quality pneumatic or electric drill make for some very precise holes.

I probably would not turn down such a punch to add to my tool collection but
its use would be very limited for airplane construction.
Probably a good tool to have for rain gutter and air conditioning sheet metal work.
 
I have a whitney punch set too and use it often. It has several sets of dies up to 5/16, but I use the #40 and #30 most often.
 
Dave and Earnest covered it. I have a hand held Roper Whitney and a Diacro Turret. They see very limited use as it just takes too long vs a high speed drill.
However, they are handy at times.
You typically see the hand help ones in the HVAC sheet metal world and turrets in prototype metal shops. Every shop needs a Turret Punch just because they are a cool tool, especially for all those square holes you need. ;)
 
Yep the Roper Whitney #16. That's the one! Jim thanks for the selection of pictures. I'll get our EAA chapter to buy one! Thanks guys for your inputs great!

Ron in Oregon RV9A
 
Jon jay,,,, did you really own the RV-1!? Or just fLy it? What a accomplishment. Anybody have a picture of the RV-5 .....yep the FIVE. IVE HEARD GHOST STORIES THAT IT EXISTED. Whether it's still around I don't know. Would be cool to see what RICHARD WAS THINKING.

Ron in Oregon RV9A flying. N421HJ
 
Jon jay,,,, did you really own the RV-1!? Or just fLy it? What a accomplishment. Anybody have a picture of the RV-5 .....yep the FIVE. IVE HEARD GHOST STORIES THAT IT EXISTED. Whether it's still around I don't know. Would be cool to see what RICHARD WAS THINKING.

Ron in Oregon RV9A flying. N421HJ

No. I didn't own her. Here is the back story.
http://rv-1.org/
I was just fortunate enough to have been selected to be one of the pilots on the tour (thank you Paul Dye and my friend Joe Blank).
The airplane is now on display in the EAA Museum.
 
Back
Top